Wearing scrubs home??

[Rn2bKatie]

Im just wondering if anyone has a standard practice of changing their scrubs before going home? Or if changing clothes would help with germ transfer?

[weirdRN, RN]

When I worked in a hospital, I changed before I went home everyday. Now, I go home and shower before i pick up my son.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I never change my scrubs before going home. Since I live alone, I don't need to worry about the spread of infectious disease to loved ones under the same roof.

However, I find it disgusting when I see a nurse wearing the same scrub uniform on a daily basis. At a previous job, a long-time nurse would wear the same American-flag scrub top with the same navy-blue scrub bottoms every single day, 5 days in a row. I seriously doubt she laundered the scrubs daily since she did not even own a car.

[weirdRN, RN]

I never change my scrubs before going home. Since I live alone, I don't need to worry about the spread of infectious disease to loved ones under the same roof.

Oh to be 25 and single again....

[Medic/Nurse, BSN, RN]

Many hospitals have seen the light! I have been in as many, as not - that furnish scrubs, you come to work in street clothes - change - and change back before going home! This is not new- OR, OB, L &D has been doing this for years - now the ER and ICU's are catching on. I think it is a great practice!

I remain amazed at the number of folks that allow nurses to hold their babies at work. Yuck!

Germ transfer is a no brainer! If you don't wear it out of the hospital - its hard to take it home!

For the facilities that I've worked in that do not furnish clothes, I've started taking my uniforms with me and changing at work.

My husband will not allow hospital garb/shoes in our house (luckily we have a screen porch on our house in an ISOLATED area). He just "knows" my clothes are full of germs! He happily sends them out to laundry, too! (Uniforms aren't washed in our machine at home either!) At first I was a little reluctant at some of his antics, but - how can I argue? We do work in a profession that is less than "clean". He does not work anywhere near a healthcare industry!

Anyway, stay safe out there! Use common sense! The best defense against infection is to limit the source.

[RNGrammie]

I never change my scrubs before going home. Since I live alone, I don't need to worry about the spread of infectious disease to loved ones under the same roof.

However, I find it disgusting when I see a nurse wearing the same scrub uniform on a daily basis. At a previous job, a long-time nurse would wear the same American-flag scrub top with the same navy-blue scrub bottoms every single day, 5 days in a row. I seriously doubt she laundered the scrubs daily since she did not even own a car.

I would hope you go straight home and not to the store or somewhere public. Scrubs should not be worn outside the clinical setting...if it's not taught in nursing school these days, it certainly should be.

And, you don't 'know whether someone launders their scrubs daily...mine go directly into the washer when i get home.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

And, you don't 'know whether someone launders their scrubs daily...mine go directly into the washer when i get home.

You are absolutely correct. I do not know whether someone launders their clothes daily.

However, I only wash twice weekly and my electric bill remains reasonable at the end of the month. I could not imagine washing clothes every single day of the month, as I believe that to be wasteful and expensive.

[RNGrammie]

You are absolutely correct. I do not know whether someone launders their clothes daily.

However, I only wash twice weekly and my electric bill remains reasonable at the end of the month. I could not imagine washing clothes every single day of the month, as I believe that to be wasteful and expensive.

It's not about the electric bill or expense, It's about keeping the spread of germs to a minimum...you do what you have to do. Many hospitals provide scrubs these days...for the very reasons being discussed...Infection. Therefore, wearing scrubs home that have been exposed all day (evening/night) is just opening the portals.

To each their own.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Therefore, wearing scrubs home that have been exposed all day (evening/night) is just opening the portals.

I live alone. I wear my scrubs home every day to an empty house.

To each their own.

Indeed. To each his own (the grammatically correct saying).

[RNGrammie]

I live alone. I wear my scrubs home every day to an empty house.

Indeed. To each his own (the grammatically correct saying).

I can see that no amount of knowledgeable persuasion will change your ways....to each their own (grammatically correct.)

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I can see that no amount of knowledgeable persuasion will change your ways....to each their own (grammatically correct.)

Posts on an internet bulletin board are definitely not going to persuade me to change my ways.

Additionally, most microorganisms lose their potency when not exposed to body temperature.

[htrn]

We have to wear hospital provided scrubs in my unit (birth center) and I frankly love it. Don't have to worry about having extra clothes for when I get puked on, etc...